Christian Brotherhood

When I was 7, two neighborhood kids grabbed me, one held my arms while the other punched me in the stomach repeatedly while yelling "dirty catholic!" When I was 12, the nun who was my teacher grabbed me and shook me while telling me I would go to hell if I didn't stop making trouble by asking questions in catechism class. When I was 16, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at my high school surrounded me and threatened to beat my ass if I didn't start praying with the rest of the team. When I was 17, two Mormons who had been explaining how wonderful their religion was, threatened to "take me out behind the barn and give you a whipping you'll never forget" for not agreeing to become one of them. When I was 18, my high school principal told me that no Commie Atheist (I was not then, nor had I ever been a member of the communist party) was gonna graduate from his high school, and while he did arrange for me to have to repeat the 12th grade, I did graduate. the following year.

College was pretty unremarkable, except for the occasional professor who would press me to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, or Campus Crusade for Christ telling me I was going to hell.

When I entered the job market, I was amazed that at least 3/4ths of my interviewers would ask about my religious affiliation, when that was supposedly illegal, and oddly enough I was never hired by anyone that asked me that question. One position I took, as an instructor at a nationally supported non-profit, (a friend hired me) was terminated shortly after the Administrator was told I was an Atheist. Once this administrator had told me I was going to hell, she never got closer than 10 feet to me.

While these are not the only interactions I've had with Christians, (some of my best friends are Christians!) they are some of the more memorable ones.

@ Michel - That could be true. But I guess I can't understand the reaction to it still. Maybe the "infectious" part fits the puzzle together. They think of it as a pathogen. They certainly seem to think that of homosexuality.